Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned of the possible launch of a ground operation in Syria and Iraq to combat the terrorist threat, after Turkish forces stepped up airstrikes on Kurdish groups across the border in recent days.
Ankara announced on Saturday the start of operation «Claw-Sword» in northern Iraq and Syria against the Kurdish groups it holds responsible for the Istanbul bombing and other threats: the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Kurdish-Syrian militia People’s Protection Units (YPG).
«This is not limited only to an air operation,» Erdogan warned on Monday, in a speech in which he confirmed that consultations are already underway for the possible deployment of ground troops. In this regard, he stressed that groups that pose a «threat» to Turkey «will pay the price» for their actions.
Earlier on Monday, at least three people were killed by several rockets fired from Syria at the Turkish town of Karkamis, located near the common border, according to Turkish authorities, who have pointed to the YPG as responsible.
Erdogan, who spoke to journalists on his return flight from Qatar, explained that 70 air teams were taking part in the operation – including drones – and put the number of terrorist targets attacked at 89, divided almost equally between Iraq and Syria, according to the Anatolia news agency.
The Turkish president has clarified that he has not yet discussed this issue with his counterparts in the United States and Russia, Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin, respectively, although he has suggested that it cannot come as a surprise to them. «They already know that we can do these things in the region at any time,» he alleged.
Erdogan has taken the opportunity, however, to again reproach the United States for sending weaponry to areas of Syria under the control of alleged terrorist groups, despite the fact that these may pose a threat to a country that is also a member of NATO.
